Oral Answers to Questions

Jeremy Quin Excerpts

Monday 29th January 2018 Commons Chamber

[Nadhim Zahawi]

I confirm that the figures are the same.

[Jeremy Quin (Horsham) (Con)]

11. What steps the Government are taking to encourage more young people to consider careers in engineering.

[Mrs Kemi Badenoch (Saffron Walden) (Con)]

15. What steps the Government are taking to encourage more young people to consider careers in engineering.

--- Later in debate ---

[Anne Milton]

Mr Speaker, my very sincere apologies. I believe I did that on another occasion, too. I was answering questions 11 and 15 together.

[Jeremy Quin]

Students from Collyer’s in my constituency came first in the UK national robotics competition and proceeded to represent their country in Washington. Does my right hon. Friend agree that this is exactly the kind of innovative initiative that gets people interested in STEM—science, technology, engineering and maths—subjects and will persuade them to take them up as careers in later life?

[Anne Milton]

The national robotics competition must be the subject of young people’s dreams, and I do indeed congratulate Collyer’s. The £406 million put aside in the autumn Budget to improve skills—particularly STEM skills, including a maths premium for 16 to 19-year-olds —will also drive up the interest in engineering.